Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was first recognized in 2003 as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle Washington. Since 2003, Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers has empowered people from cities around the world to come together and organize against discrimination and remember victims of violence.

During the week of December 17th, sex worker communities and social justice organizations stage actions and vigils and work to raise awareness about violence that is commonly committed against sex workers.

This year, we are organizing a number of activities the week of December 17th in honor of this day

Legal Clinic Launch!

The SWOP Community Activism Law Clinic is a free, full-service legal clinic for individuals involved in sex work. It provides a wide-range of services from advice and community legal education to representation. All legal services, including full representation, are completely free of charge to clients.

Activities on Wednesday, December 17th

March to End Violence Against Sex Workers

Route: We will march north along State Street to Madison, then march west to Dearborn. The March will end at the Monroe Blue Line.

Join us in protesting systematic violence against sex workers. Since the start of this year, 24 sex workers have been violently murdered in the United States. 6 women were murdered in the greater Chicago Metro area. Please unite with us to raise awareness of how criminalization and stigma, and economic injustice contribute to violence against sex workers.

Annual Vigil and Celebration of Resilience

SWOP-Chicago is honored to present our annual “International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers” activities at the historic Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.

Join us for a commemorative evening to honor the lives of sex workers, past and present. Join us for a candle light vigil, speakers, music, art, performance, refreshments, and most importantly community.

All ages, all are welcome, and this is a safe space for all genders, expressions, & abilities.

The Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP)-Chicago supports the proposal put forth by Amnesty International to decriminalize prostitution. We believe that the criminalization of actors participating in the sex trade contributes to a host of negative effects for both sellers and buyers of sexual services: it alienates them from communities that support their health and human rights, precludes the development of social services that can help them address issues of concern, undermines their ability to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and other STIs, and eliminates the agency of individual sex workers. In countries where sex work is decriminalized, violence against sex workers is reduced and access to health and human services is increased.

The removal of punitive laws and policies targeting sex workers is crucial. SWOP-Chicago is not alone in this belief. International agencies such as The Global Commission on HIV and the Law, UNAIDS , the World Health Organization, the Global Alliance Against the Trafficking in Women (GAATW) and the Human Rights Watch have called for or support the decriminalization of sex work. Contrary to what some may have you believe, decriminalization is NOT an attempt to legalize ‘pimps’, nor does it increase exploitation of sex workers. Such arguments are made with a limited understanding of the sex trade, a limited understanding of global capitalism, and undermines the struggle for sex workers to live healthy, safe, stigma-free lives.

Decriminalization will help sex workers address all forms of exploitation, including abusive or sub-standard working conditions instituted by both state and non-state actors. In countries such as the United States where sex work is criminalized, sex workers are often afraid to come forth Criminalization of buyers of sex will not eliminate this concern, but would instead drive the industry further underground. Clients will be more likely to withhold personal information that sex workers need to keep them safe in order to prevent the police from using this information.

Finally, SWOP-Chicago is committed to ending human trafficking within the sex trade. Criminalization of prostitution hampers the anti-trafficking efforts of organizations working with people in the sex trade and makes it easier for sex workers to be wrongly categorized as trafficked persons. Moreover, under criminalization, there is a reduced chance that those who are trafficked into the sex trade will come forward against their traffickers. Criminalizing the buyers of sex is tantamount to eliminating the agency of individual sex workers, and creates an environment conducive to the proliferation of human trafficking.

SWOP-Chicago and other members of the sex worker rights movement are in agreement with with other human rights movements in condemning the abuse and violation of the rights of all individuals, including sex workers. Thus, we stand in solidarity with Amnesty International in calling for the full decriminalization of prostitution.

Please join us in posting this statement and spreading the word via social media using the hashtags on Friday, April 4 in support of Amnesty International’s consultation of the decriminalization of sex work.

SWOP invites all sex workers to help us close out the summer with a south side BBQ and movie night! We’re firing up the grill and having an impromptu meet and greet for current and former industry workers. Later in the evening, we’ll be showing some choice selections from 2011’s Sex Worker Film Festival on an outdoor screen. Please bring your own booze/beverages, a dish to share, and whatever you’d like our sexy grillmaster to fire up for you.

This is a SEX WORKER ONLY event, open to current or former workers of all genders. Sorry, no allies or partners allowed.

The Deets…

Date- Monday, September 2 – Labor Day

Time- 3pm- ???

Location- South Side Chicago (near Hyde Park)

There is a Metra train stop nearby, but we encourage folks to carpool to this event if possible. SWOP members will be available to pick people up at train stations nearby at different times.

Please email- info@swop-chicago.org or call (312) 252-3880 to RSVP and get location information

SWOP-Chicago and SexFest2013 are proud to host a FREE screening of the award-winning documentary “The Scarlet Road” on Saturday, April 6 at the Jane Addams Hull House Museum. Screening begins at 7pm and will be followed by a panel discussion.

“Scarlet Road” follows the extraordinary work of Australian sex worker, Rachel Wotton. Impassioned about freedom of sexual expression and the rights of sex workers, she specializes in a long over-looked clientele – people with disabilities

Working in the Adult Entertainment Biz and want to get 2013 off to a good financial start?

Join SWOP-Chicago for a tax and money management workshop this January 26!

When

Saturday, January 26, 2013

2-4:30 p.m.

Where

Rogers Park (near Loyola redline)

RSVP for address

What

William Enmark, a CPA with an investment/finance background and over 17 years of experience as a tax professional, will lead the workshop. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences.

Workshop will cover topics including:

* The benefits of filing taxes
* Tax deductions sex workers can claim
* Budgeting your income and managing your money for the year
* How to stay legal and who can help
* Dealing with a “cash-only” income and how much to set aside for taxes

After the workshop, we will be hosting a coffee/tea/social hour for networking and to share information.